My Last Train of 2009

Dear Readers,

Today is 4th day of the year 2010 & i am traveling in Kalka-Delhi Shatabdi after my supplier visit in Mohali. Well end of year 2009 will be in my remembrance, which might be fun story to hear about which will surely bring smile on your faces.

Date: 31.Dec.2009
Being a last day of the month, being a last of the year, my day was pretty long! Early in the morning our business unit head came to my desk & told me about a customer complaint which had been raised by our marketing head. This complaint was more related to the packaging of our parts, where the secondary packaging had broken during sea transit. After discussing this problem with my business head i rushed to nearest freight station at Patparganj along with one of our materials buyer to review the incoming packaging from supplier at port.
We reached at around 12:00 noon & it took us around 2 & half hours there to review & analyze the problem. By the time i reached back office, it was already 4pm. There were still couple of works to end my day, as i am looking after export logistics operations for my unit I need to close the export sales for the month. Close to 7pm i got free & it was the time for me to rush back to home. Before closing the day, i checked out my status for the booked tickets in Tatkal from Delhi to UNA. I was leaving home to enjoy my New Year 2010 along with my parents at my home town Una (Himachal Pradesh). My tickets just got confirmed as chart had been prepared. I called up Anshuman who dropped me on his bike at Kapasera border. I hired an autorikshaw from there till Sector9 Dwarka Metro station. I checked my watch & it was showing 8:45pm, when i reached Metro station at Dwarka. It took me close to 1hour & 15 minutes to reach Chandni chowk metro station.
10:00pm on my watch, I was standing right infront of Old Delhi railway station where i had to board my train Himachal Express. I saw the timetable of the arrival of my train & platform, the train was expected to arrive at platform#8. This was my last train of 2009.Since i had been traveling through this train for last 5-7years from Delhi to Una, departure time of this train from Delhi was 11:20pm which never got changed during last so many years & i never saw it leaving right on departure time. I went to the comesum restaurant which is just outside to old Delhi railway station. I settled with a grilled Sandwich & cappuccino. I knew the train would never arrive on the platform before 11:30pm, so i ordered for another grilled sandwich. I got out slowly & steadily from the restaurant & started moving towards platform. 10:40 pm on my watch & I was standing at platform#8, which was looking pretty deserted, i thought i am early than expected. To cross -check that Himachal express is coming on the platform#8, i checked at one of the tea stalls. He told me in a very lazy tone - "Himachal Express had already left 15-20mins back", i was little surprised then thought this guy might be new at the stall & is not aware of the train arrival timings. I checked at another stall & answer was same.

I don't know why for first time instead of being panic, i was smiling on my blunder carelessness & the only thought which came into my mind was a new story to be posted on my blog.Each of my stories bring some learning to me & my readers. Hope you all have learned something with some fun & please ensure next time you travel by train do check the departure time on the ticket. My train ticket was showing departure time as 10:15pm which i saw later. hahahahahahahahahaaa!!!!!!!

Wish you all Warm & Healthy Happy New Year 2010

Luv U all
Devu